Easy Apple Fritter Cake Recipe
I love this Easy Apple Fritter Cake recipe. I swear, I love apples a lot (a LOT) but even if I didn’t, this apple cake would definitely top my list of best cake recipes ever.
It’s like chocolate cake just doesn’t cut it for me. I mean, it would, if I liked it as much as a certain fruit, but really, apple cake is so much more fun. Plus, the kids really like apples, so it works out.
When I decided to make this apple fritter cake, I was trying to come up with a recipe that was a lot like our favorite donut store treat, too. And I definitely succeeded in that. Plus, because it’s not fried, I do feel like it’s a bit healthier–in as much as cake can be healthier than a donut. Let’s not go down that particular rabbit hole…let’s just change the subject.
If you’re just here for the apples, you should definitely check out these recipes using apples. It’s like a whole orchard-full of ideas that you can make at home and get your apple-fix.
Now, if you’re ready for this tasty treat, grab your apples and let’s get baking an apple fritter cake!
What You Need to Make Apple Fritter Cake
Cake:
-
- 3 medium apples
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2/3 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups un-bleached flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder (not baking soda)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)
Glaze:
-
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
How to Make Easy Apple Fritter Cake Recipe
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, eel and cut up your apples into small chunks. To keep them from browning, add in 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and stir the apples to get them all coated. Set aside
Combine brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
In a second medium sized bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.
Combine flour and baking powder and stir together with a fork.
Add flour mixture to creamed butter and stir until combined.
Add each egg, one at a time, beating between each until well combined.
Stir in the vanilla and milk into the batter until smooth.
Fold in chopped pecans gently.
Add the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Spread the apples over the top of the cake batter and top with remaining brown sugar and cinnamon.
Use a butter knife to swirl the brown sugar mixture into the apples mixture and gently pat apples into the batter to make a semi-even surface.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar and water.
Pour glaze over the apple cake.
Enjoy!
Alternatively, if you want to leave off the glaze, you can top this apple cake recipe with whipped cream, caramel sauce or cream cheese frosting. They’d all be amazing.
How Long Does Apple Fritter Cake Last?
Around my house? Not long, because there are far too many underage people that see this as some form of delicious indulgence they can sneak without much resistance on my part (it’s got apples, after all). But, if you were able to keep those little pilferers from snagging a drive-by-snack every time they walked through the kitchen, I would expect this apple fritter cake to last 5-8 days on the counter in an airtight container.
You could bump that time to 12-14 days in the fridge, again, in an airtight container.
Can You Freeze Apple Fritter Cake?
Yes! This cake freezes really well. Just be sure to put it in the airtight container and then in the freezer. Just pull it out and let it defrost on the counter for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge.
More Apple Recipes You’ll Love
- Apple Pie Cupcakes – I wasn’t kidding about how much I love apples. And these cupcakes are a great way to make little treats with my favorite fruit!
- Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples – Cinnamon apples are an awesome side dish for so many of our favorite family meals. I make this so often, but there’s hardly ever leftovers.
- 20+ Apple Butter Breakfast Recipes – So many yummy ideas for breakfast with apple butter, the world’s best condiment.
- 30 Fun Apple Recipes Kids Can Make– perfect for getting kids in the kitchen!
- Caramel Apple Cupcakes– these are guaranteed to me a crowd pleaser!
- Mini Apple Pie Cups– these mini treats are perfect for a get together!

Apple Fritter Cake
I love this Easy Apple Fritter Cake Recipe. I swear, I love apples a lot (a LOT) but even if I didn't, this apple cake would definitely top my list of best cake recipes ever.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 medium apples
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2/3 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups un-bleached flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, eel and cut up your apples into small chunks. To keep them from browning, add in 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and stir the apples to get them all coated. Set aside
- Combine brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a second medium sized bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.
- Combine flour and baking powder and stir together with a fork.
- Add flour mixture to creamed butter and stir until combined.
- Add each egg, one at a time, beating between each until well combined.
- Stir in the vanilla and milk into the batter until smooth.
- Fold in chopped pecans gently.
- Add the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Spread the apples over the top of the cake batter and top with remaining brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Use a butter knife to swirl the brown sugar mixture into the apples mixture and gently pat apples into the batter to make a semi-even surface.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
- To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar and water.
- Pour glaze over the apple cake.
- Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 152mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 28gProtein: 4g
Those apple fritter donuts are my favorite, but they have about a million calories. I’m pinning this one because I have a bowl of apples on the counter with this recipe pasted all over them. Thank you for bringing this to FF.